100 days until the Special Olympics National Games come to Sheffield

Monday 1 May 2017

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1 May 2017

Release originally published by Special Olympics Great Britain

With just 100 days until the Special Olympics National Games come to Sheffield, a flag is flying proudly above Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane Stadium – which will host the opening ceremony in front of a predicted 20,000-strong audience on 8 August 2017.

The green flag is to recognise the incredible record number of parklands and green credentials of the city, which will welcome 2,600 athletes and an additional 10,000 friends, family and volunteers from 7-12 August.

Sheffield first hosted the Games in 1993, and Special Olympics GB’s athletes are already looking forward to being greeted by the warmth of the people of Sheffield and South Yorkshire once again.

The opening ceremony will be followed by four days of sporting action from athletes with learning disabilities across 20 sports, making it the country’s largest disability sports event in 2017. It is the showpiece event every four years for the organisation and its athletes.

Entry to the Games is free to the public and details of how to obtain tickets will be announced very soon.

Almost 1.5 million people in the UK (two per cent of the population) have an intellectual disability. Special Olympics GB is the largest registered charity providing year-round sports training and competition opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.

The sports that will feature at the Special Olympics 2017 National Games, and the venues they will take place in, include: